My older sister Ashley has always been a role model to me. She has always been the person in my life that I look up to the most, admire deeply, and dream to be like one day. Throughout our childhood she has always been there; teaching me, guiding me, and coaching me through life. In many ways, I have always wanted to be the person who she is. I want someone to believe in me and trust me, the way I do with her. In my younger years, I was always the student and she was always the teacher. As we grew older, I began to take the role of my sister. I was the one wanting to explain things and teach others. As I matured, my love for teacher stayed with me. I knew one day my profession would revolve around assisting, educating, and steering others toward success.
I always loved Science, there was no questioning that. From elementary to high school it has always been my favorite subject. My senior year I enrolled in an Environmental Science class with Mr. Pariseau. It was from him, that I found my inspiration in becoming a teacher. Mr. Pariseau was strict, stern, and stood strongly by his classroom and school policies. However, he was still entertaining, energetic, and patient, always making his classes interesting and upbeat. The way he handled his students' when they were inattentive or overly energetic was remarkable. He rarely lost his temper and kept his cool in almost every situation. He took us on field trips with almost every lab, allowing us to learn through active learning and really jump into the topic we were studying. Our field trip to the Blackstone River was the most memorable to me. The lab that week was about "Pollution and the Environment", and Mr. Pariseau brought us to the Blackstone for a first hand look on how destructive pollution can be to the environment. Volunteers were able to put on waders and trudge through the water with him and collect specimen and evidence of pollution. It was the best Science class I have taken throughout my educational career. Mr. Pariseau was, and still is the reason why I want to become a teacher.
When I came to the University of Rhode Island to pursue a teaching career, I was many things, from nervous to excited. I had just begun to understand the concepts involved with the Rhode Island Beginning Teacher Standards when I enrolled in my EDC 250 class. I learned so much and had great overall experiences during the mandatory observation for this class in Mrs. Whittaker's 7th grade science class. At Nathaneal Greene Middle School, the student's math scores as a whole had been diminishing over the years, and many students seemed to be struggling individually in the subject as well. The numeracy program created in response to these results was despised by many students. It was during this time that Shakira, and outgoing, hyper, but determined student showed me how much a teachers effort can truly be appreciated. When I was asked to work one on one with Shakira, with it being my first time in a real classroom setting with actual students, I was as nervous as could be, but I refused to let it show. When i asked her if she had questions or if I could help her with anything, she responded with, "No, I'm fine". It was clear, since she was drawing her name over and over again at the top of her workbook she was not fine and was not all set. When I refused to give up on her, I came to find out she did not want to do it because she did not know how. I sat with her and went over the directions and different examples and worked with her for as long as it took her to understand. After working problems together, I took a step back and let her do some on her own, with less of my guidance. It was then, after she finished the second problem on her own that she looked at me and said, "Alright Miss Courtney, I don't need you anymore", when I knew I had done my job. One of my high school teachers once said, "As long as I am able to help at least one student a day, I've done my job", and until that day I could not relate. But after my experience with Shakira, I understood exactly what she meant. I can not wait to have a classroom of my own one day to teach, guide and inspire as many students as I can.
I firmly believe that student success depends heavily on a teachers desire to work cooperatively, patiently, and closely with student learning. It is not solely the student's responsibility to educate themselves on the concepts and skills necessary to thrive not just in the classroom, but the world itself. Positive teacher guidance will lead students towards a path where they will gain the expertise and confidence in taking on challenging tasks and expanding their abilities in becoming life-long learners. I want to give my students the power of assurance in believing they can achieve anything they put their mind to. Through my passion for teaching and my love for Science I want to inspire my students to do well and to want to learn. Receiving an all around effort of cooperation and enthusiasm is important for positive learning experiences. My main goal is to make Science appealing, relevant, and all around fun for the students.
I always loved Science, there was no questioning that. From elementary to high school it has always been my favorite subject. My senior year I enrolled in an Environmental Science class with Mr. Pariseau. It was from him, that I found my inspiration in becoming a teacher. Mr. Pariseau was strict, stern, and stood strongly by his classroom and school policies. However, he was still entertaining, energetic, and patient, always making his classes interesting and upbeat. The way he handled his students' when they were inattentive or overly energetic was remarkable. He rarely lost his temper and kept his cool in almost every situation. He took us on field trips with almost every lab, allowing us to learn through active learning and really jump into the topic we were studying. Our field trip to the Blackstone River was the most memorable to me. The lab that week was about "Pollution and the Environment", and Mr. Pariseau brought us to the Blackstone for a first hand look on how destructive pollution can be to the environment. Volunteers were able to put on waders and trudge through the water with him and collect specimen and evidence of pollution. It was the best Science class I have taken throughout my educational career. Mr. Pariseau was, and still is the reason why I want to become a teacher.
When I came to the University of Rhode Island to pursue a teaching career, I was many things, from nervous to excited. I had just begun to understand the concepts involved with the Rhode Island Beginning Teacher Standards when I enrolled in my EDC 250 class. I learned so much and had great overall experiences during the mandatory observation for this class in Mrs. Whittaker's 7th grade science class. At Nathaneal Greene Middle School, the student's math scores as a whole had been diminishing over the years, and many students seemed to be struggling individually in the subject as well. The numeracy program created in response to these results was despised by many students. It was during this time that Shakira, and outgoing, hyper, but determined student showed me how much a teachers effort can truly be appreciated. When I was asked to work one on one with Shakira, with it being my first time in a real classroom setting with actual students, I was as nervous as could be, but I refused to let it show. When i asked her if she had questions or if I could help her with anything, she responded with, "No, I'm fine". It was clear, since she was drawing her name over and over again at the top of her workbook she was not fine and was not all set. When I refused to give up on her, I came to find out she did not want to do it because she did not know how. I sat with her and went over the directions and different examples and worked with her for as long as it took her to understand. After working problems together, I took a step back and let her do some on her own, with less of my guidance. It was then, after she finished the second problem on her own that she looked at me and said, "Alright Miss Courtney, I don't need you anymore", when I knew I had done my job. One of my high school teachers once said, "As long as I am able to help at least one student a day, I've done my job", and until that day I could not relate. But after my experience with Shakira, I understood exactly what she meant. I can not wait to have a classroom of my own one day to teach, guide and inspire as many students as I can.
I firmly believe that student success depends heavily on a teachers desire to work cooperatively, patiently, and closely with student learning. It is not solely the student's responsibility to educate themselves on the concepts and skills necessary to thrive not just in the classroom, but the world itself. Positive teacher guidance will lead students towards a path where they will gain the expertise and confidence in taking on challenging tasks and expanding their abilities in becoming life-long learners. I want to give my students the power of assurance in believing they can achieve anything they put their mind to. Through my passion for teaching and my love for Science I want to inspire my students to do well and to want to learn. Receiving an all around effort of cooperation and enthusiasm is important for positive learning experiences. My main goal is to make Science appealing, relevant, and all around fun for the students.